Three weeks of green baize chess are upon us again. And it's probably the most open tournament ever. Ronnie O'Sullivan is the favourite, while former winners John Higgins, Shaun Murphy, Ken Doherty and Stephen Hendry will be fancied. Stephen Maguire and Mark Selby come into the tournament on form, and in a position to be world number one next season, and there are more dark horses than ever. Ding Junhui, Neil Robertson and Marco Fu have all proved they have what it takes to win tournaments in the recent past, while Jamie Cope, Ryan Day and Mark Allen are all tipped as future world champions, and are in great form this season.
Odds:
100-30 O'Sullivan
9-2 Mark Selby
7-1 Stephen Maguire
8-1 Shaun Murphy
11-1 John Higgins
12-1 Ding Junhui
16-1 Neil Robertson
25-1 Ken Doherty
The big story going into the week has been whether Graeme Dott would compete or not. Dott has been battling depression, and his form this season has suffered badly as a result, losing his last fifteen matches. His last win was against Stephen Lee in the quarter final of the Shanghai Masters back in August, and his last win on the British Isles was fourteen months ago at last year's Welsh Open. He begins his campaign against seasoned veteran Joe Perry, who came from 8-4 down to knock John Parrott out in the qualifiers. Perry's form over the years has been inconsistant, but a win over Dott should see him into the second round. Prediction: Perry 10-6
Facing them in the second round will be the winner of the Steve Davis-Stuart Bingham clash. Like a lot of the old guard, Davis is struggling for form, and needs to reach at least the semi-finals to have a chance of retaining his top 16 status, this is his 28th appearance at the Crucible, so experience is on his side. On the other hand, Bingham is on an upward curve, having been a journeyman for many years, his current ranking of 23 his highest ever. Bingham has won all four previous encounters. Prediction: Bingham 10-9
Elsewhere in the draw, and first on the table, champion John Higgins isn't having the best of seasons, and has failed to make a semi-final, this season, meaning that he is all but guaranteed to lose his number one raking. His first round opponent is former World runner-up Matthew Stevens. An awful two year run of form sent Stevens spiralling out of the top 16, and having to qualify for the first time for 11 years. A solid, if unspectacular season sees him on the brink of returning to next season's list. Prediction: Higgins 10-7
In round two, the winner will face either Michael Judge or Ryan Day. Judge was once seen as a prospect, with a steady climb up the rankings that had seen him reach number 24 by 2002, however from then he slumped, only starting to climb again last season,and continue his good form this term, and a return to the top 32 beckons. First-time seed Day has had one of the strongest season's on the circuit, starting with the final of the Shanghai Masters, although he lost to Dominic Dale on that occasion, it has helped him amass enough ranking points to be provisionally ranked number 6. Prediction: Day 10-4
The other match to begin proceedings pits Australian Neil Robertson against veteran Nigel Bond. Hotly tipped as a future champion, Robertson is experiencing his first bad season. Only one quarter final, isn't good form for a seventh seed, but last season's ranking points should be enough to keep him in the top 8. Bond, on the other hand has qualified for the seventh time and is experiencing his best season for a decade, and a good tournament here could see him return to the top 16 for the first time in ten years. He comes into the tournament on the back of a quarter final in the China Open, and should edge this. Prediction: Bond 10-8
The winner faces a daunting prospect in Stephen Maguire, as long as he gets past Anthony Hamilton. Maguire has lived up to his 'On Fire' nickname this season, winning the Northern Ireland Trophy and the China Open, as well as being runner up in the UK Championship, and is one of the favourites this year. However, he does have a tricky first round opponent. Hamilton is one of snooker's enigmas. A player whose talent has never been questioned, but whose application often has. A ranking that can seemingly drift between lower top 16 and just outside the top 32, doesn't tell the story of how good Hamilton can be. A regular fixture at the Crucible (a seven-time qualifier in addition to the five times he's appeared as a top seed in the last thirteen years), and a capacity to spring suprises, suggests he should not be overlooked, however Maguire will prove too strong. Prediction: Maguire 10-6
The first of this afternoon's games sees everyone's least favourite player Stephen Lee face Joe Swail. One of the lower key games this time round, as Lee's wretched form over the last two seasons sees him provisionally ranked 25th, whereas Swail has been absent from snooker's upper echelon since 2003, and like Bond and Hamilton, this is his seventh appearance as a qualifier. He is at his highest ranking since (17), but has been inconsistant this season, meaning he is likely to be just outside the 16 again. Probably worth watching the other game, while these two play. Prediction: Swail 10-5
Whoever wins through faces either Ken Doherty or Liang Wenbo for the right to be the weakest of the quarter finalists. That may seem a strange thing to say considering that Doherty is a former champion, three time finalist and fourth seed, but his form this season has been dire, as he has failed to get past the second round in any tournament this season. Liang became only the second Chinese player ever to qualify for the crucible when he beat Ian McCulloch 10-5 in the qualifiers. A fixture on the circuit for a few seasons, this is Liang's breakout season, as he is guaranteed to break the top 50 rankings for the first time. But this is his debut at Crucible, so nerves may get the better of him. That said, he couldn't have asked for a much better player to face right now. Prediction: Liang 10-5
This afternoon's other game pits Peter Ebdon against debutant Jamie Cope. Like Doherty, Ebdon isn't having the best of seasons. Ebdon can at least point to two early season quarter finals. However, he has been handed one of the toughest qualifiers. Cope is one snooker's hottest prospects. His 2007 China Open win catapulted him into Snooker's big time, and this (and indeed the only known 155 break - albeit in a practice match) before he reached the top 16 or the age of 22. While he has not quite recaptured last season's form, (he has qualified for every tournament this year, but lost in the first round of the last two tournaments) a win against Ebdon would put him amonst snooker's elite. Prediction: Cope 10-9
The victor faces veteran Mark King or last year's runner up Mark Selby. King's most famous moment in snooker was offering to box Quentin Hann after Hann raised his fists against King's friend Andy Hicks at the crucible in 2004, but don't let that fool you. King is an accomplished player (as his 10-3 win over Jimmy White in the qualifiers proved), if a little inconistant. These inconsistancies have seen him dip in and out of the top 16, but a win here would see him return. Selby's march to the final last season was unexpected, but he has had a fine season, with his first trophies - the Masters and the Welsh Open. One of only five players heading into the tournament with a chance of being world number one next season, Selby is in a great position to go one better, and will be too good for King. Prediction: Selby 10-3
I'll do the other six matches:
Ali Carter v Barry Hawkins
Shaun Murphy v Dave Harold
Stephen Hendry v Mark Allen
Ding Junhui v Marco Fu
Mark Williams v Mark Davis
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Liu Chuang
later.
Odds:
100-30 O'Sullivan
9-2 Mark Selby
7-1 Stephen Maguire
8-1 Shaun Murphy
11-1 John Higgins
12-1 Ding Junhui
16-1 Neil Robertson
25-1 Ken Doherty
The big story going into the week has been whether Graeme Dott would compete or not. Dott has been battling depression, and his form this season has suffered badly as a result, losing his last fifteen matches. His last win was against Stephen Lee in the quarter final of the Shanghai Masters back in August, and his last win on the British Isles was fourteen months ago at last year's Welsh Open. He begins his campaign against seasoned veteran Joe Perry, who came from 8-4 down to knock John Parrott out in the qualifiers. Perry's form over the years has been inconsistant, but a win over Dott should see him into the second round. Prediction: Perry 10-6
Facing them in the second round will be the winner of the Steve Davis-Stuart Bingham clash. Like a lot of the old guard, Davis is struggling for form, and needs to reach at least the semi-finals to have a chance of retaining his top 16 status, this is his 28th appearance at the Crucible, so experience is on his side. On the other hand, Bingham is on an upward curve, having been a journeyman for many years, his current ranking of 23 his highest ever. Bingham has won all four previous encounters. Prediction: Bingham 10-9
Elsewhere in the draw, and first on the table, champion John Higgins isn't having the best of seasons, and has failed to make a semi-final, this season, meaning that he is all but guaranteed to lose his number one raking. His first round opponent is former World runner-up Matthew Stevens. An awful two year run of form sent Stevens spiralling out of the top 16, and having to qualify for the first time for 11 years. A solid, if unspectacular season sees him on the brink of returning to next season's list. Prediction: Higgins 10-7
In round two, the winner will face either Michael Judge or Ryan Day. Judge was once seen as a prospect, with a steady climb up the rankings that had seen him reach number 24 by 2002, however from then he slumped, only starting to climb again last season,and continue his good form this term, and a return to the top 32 beckons. First-time seed Day has had one of the strongest season's on the circuit, starting with the final of the Shanghai Masters, although he lost to Dominic Dale on that occasion, it has helped him amass enough ranking points to be provisionally ranked number 6. Prediction: Day 10-4
The other match to begin proceedings pits Australian Neil Robertson against veteran Nigel Bond. Hotly tipped as a future champion, Robertson is experiencing his first bad season. Only one quarter final, isn't good form for a seventh seed, but last season's ranking points should be enough to keep him in the top 8. Bond, on the other hand has qualified for the seventh time and is experiencing his best season for a decade, and a good tournament here could see him return to the top 16 for the first time in ten years. He comes into the tournament on the back of a quarter final in the China Open, and should edge this. Prediction: Bond 10-8
The winner faces a daunting prospect in Stephen Maguire, as long as he gets past Anthony Hamilton. Maguire has lived up to his 'On Fire' nickname this season, winning the Northern Ireland Trophy and the China Open, as well as being runner up in the UK Championship, and is one of the favourites this year. However, he does have a tricky first round opponent. Hamilton is one of snooker's enigmas. A player whose talent has never been questioned, but whose application often has. A ranking that can seemingly drift between lower top 16 and just outside the top 32, doesn't tell the story of how good Hamilton can be. A regular fixture at the Crucible (a seven-time qualifier in addition to the five times he's appeared as a top seed in the last thirteen years), and a capacity to spring suprises, suggests he should not be overlooked, however Maguire will prove too strong. Prediction: Maguire 10-6
The first of this afternoon's games sees everyone's least favourite player Stephen Lee face Joe Swail. One of the lower key games this time round, as Lee's wretched form over the last two seasons sees him provisionally ranked 25th, whereas Swail has been absent from snooker's upper echelon since 2003, and like Bond and Hamilton, this is his seventh appearance as a qualifier. He is at his highest ranking since (17), but has been inconsistant this season, meaning he is likely to be just outside the 16 again. Probably worth watching the other game, while these two play. Prediction: Swail 10-5
Whoever wins through faces either Ken Doherty or Liang Wenbo for the right to be the weakest of the quarter finalists. That may seem a strange thing to say considering that Doherty is a former champion, three time finalist and fourth seed, but his form this season has been dire, as he has failed to get past the second round in any tournament this season. Liang became only the second Chinese player ever to qualify for the crucible when he beat Ian McCulloch 10-5 in the qualifiers. A fixture on the circuit for a few seasons, this is Liang's breakout season, as he is guaranteed to break the top 50 rankings for the first time. But this is his debut at Crucible, so nerves may get the better of him. That said, he couldn't have asked for a much better player to face right now. Prediction: Liang 10-5
This afternoon's other game pits Peter Ebdon against debutant Jamie Cope. Like Doherty, Ebdon isn't having the best of seasons. Ebdon can at least point to two early season quarter finals. However, he has been handed one of the toughest qualifiers. Cope is one snooker's hottest prospects. His 2007 China Open win catapulted him into Snooker's big time, and this (and indeed the only known 155 break - albeit in a practice match) before he reached the top 16 or the age of 22. While he has not quite recaptured last season's form, (he has qualified for every tournament this year, but lost in the first round of the last two tournaments) a win against Ebdon would put him amonst snooker's elite. Prediction: Cope 10-9
The victor faces veteran Mark King or last year's runner up Mark Selby. King's most famous moment in snooker was offering to box Quentin Hann after Hann raised his fists against King's friend Andy Hicks at the crucible in 2004, but don't let that fool you. King is an accomplished player (as his 10-3 win over Jimmy White in the qualifiers proved), if a little inconistant. These inconsistancies have seen him dip in and out of the top 16, but a win here would see him return. Selby's march to the final last season was unexpected, but he has had a fine season, with his first trophies - the Masters and the Welsh Open. One of only five players heading into the tournament with a chance of being world number one next season, Selby is in a great position to go one better, and will be too good for King. Prediction: Selby 10-3
I'll do the other six matches:
Ali Carter v Barry Hawkins
Shaun Murphy v Dave Harold
Stephen Hendry v Mark Allen
Ding Junhui v Marco Fu
Mark Williams v Mark Davis
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Liu Chuang
later.
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